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Criminality Associated With Mental Disorders and Intellectual Deficiency
Abstract
Studies of different risk factors in prediction of criminal behavior have neglected an epidemiologic approach using large samples of patients with different mental disorders to calculate odds ratios concerning their forthcoming criminal behavior. We were pleased to read the article by Hodgins1 on the relationship between crime, mental disorder, and intellectual handicap. The results of this study showed that male patients with a major mental disorder were four times more likely to commit a violent offense than men with no disorder, and female patients with major mental disorder were 27 times more likely to do so. Corresponding numbers were 15 for male substance abusers and 55 for female substance abusers. Patients with intellectual handicap and other mental disorders were also at greater risk for criminal behavior. However, those results do not give information about the risk for criminality associated with specifically defined disorders due to the heterogeneity of the
... As far as substance use or substance use disorders are concerned, researchers worldwide express varying opinions regarding the subject. For example, Tiihonen et al. 7 emphasised that the use of alcohol had no strong relationship with sexual crimes such as rape. Other researchers, however, reported a strong relationship between substance use and substance use disorders and sexual assault. ...
Background: Sexual assault in South Africa has reached alarming proportions. Mental illness amongst offenders accused of rape is one of the complicating factors.
Aim: To describe the sociodemographic, clinical and forensic profile of alleged offenders accused of rape referred to a South African tertiary public psychiatric hospital for forensic evaluation, as well as describe the profile of the reported victims.
Setting: Free State Psychiatric Complex (FSPC) Observation Ward, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study compiled a sociodemographic, clinical and forensic profile of offenders accused of rape referred to the FSPC for forensic assessment between 2011 and 2015. The study population comprised 159 alleged offenders. Sociodemographic data, mental status, clinical diagnoses, comorbid substance use and forensic outcomes were collected from clinical files.
Results: All accused offenders were male with a median age of 30 years. About half obtained primary school level education. Unemployment was common (37.3%) with 40% receiving government grants. Most accused offenders were single (78.0%). Clinically, schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders were the most common diagnoses (30.8%), followed by intellectual disability (16.3%). Almost a third of the accused offenders did not suffer from any mental illness. Alcohol (20.1%) and cannabis use disorders (12.6%) were dominant comorbidities. After a 30-day evaluation period, 53.2% of alleged offenders were found competent to stand trial. The verdict of criminal responsibility was made for 43.7% of this sample.
Conclusion: This study contributes data on sociodemographics, psychiatric morbidities and comorbidities and forensic findings amongst alleged offenders of rape referred for forensic assessment.
... 55 The studies all consider the following to be risk factors for committing crimes in subjects with ID: youth, being male, having experienced psychosocial disadvantages, having a relative that commits crimes, a history of behavioural problems, not having a job and comorbidity with other mental disorders. 7,26,27,30,40,42,44,65 High rates of dropping out of school, inappropriate sexual behaviour, poor relationships with others and limited social integration 5,29,66 or early institutionalisation, having parents that divorced with delays or that belong to a low socioeconomic class, and having a behavioural disorder have also been reported to be risk factors. 18 The association between antisocial behaviour and intelligence can principally be the result of impulsiveness and poor behaviour control. ...
Intellectual disability is of maximum interest in the forensic field. This review includes an electronic search of articles in English or Spanish registered in the Medline database with the terms FORENS* and INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY in the Title or Abstract, up until January 1, 2018, selecting those that addressed issues related to the condition's historical background and legal consideration, criminality and criminal typology, comorbidity in offenders, risk factors and recidivism, and forensic assessment, excluding articles on treatment or treatment outcomes.
We identified 80 articles that fulfilled criteria for inclusion, which highlighted the special consideration historically given by the law to subjects affected by intellectual disability, their high rates of imprisonment, which discussed their relationship with violence, including sexual violence, which describe high rates of comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders, with discrepancies regarding toxic-related disorders, and lastly which reviewed these subjects’ risk factors and recidivism, as well as the forensic assessment methods. We also outline the limitations of the literature review, especially in relation to the research criteria that define intellectual disability.
... [41][42][43] In adulthood, two personality disorders, APD (Auditory Processing Disorder) and BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), are associated and predictive of antisocial behavior. [44][45][46] Recent studies and meta-analyses have already confirmed the relation between fetal/circulating testosterone and aggression in humans. [47][48][49][50][51] These studies have demonstrated that high fetal or circulating testosterone has an important influence on the maturation and functionality of mesolimbic dopaminergic circuitry, right orbitofrontal cortex and cortical-subcortical connectivity, consequently cause alteration of motivation, low social sensitivity and influence motivational/emotional processes. ...
Klinefelter Syndrome (KS) (XXY) is the most common sex-chromosome aberration among men. The cognitive phenotype includes language learning problems, mental retardation, and psychiatric disorders. Patients can show criminal personality and psychosocial problems. The most common offences reported are sexual abuse, arson, burglary, homicide, drug-related crimes. KS very often goes under-diagnosed. The aim of our study is to verify the hypothesis of correlation between chromosomal abnormalities and criminal behaviors through the analysis of a forensic case of uxoricide/suicide. We report the case of an old man, found dead in his cottage with a gun in the right hand. Judicial inspection demonstrated suicidal single gunshot injuries. Data analysis highlighted a personal story of uxoricide. Autopsy investigation showed the typical KS phenotype. The post-mortem clinical diagnosis was confirmed through the genetic analysis of the karyotype. The retrospective analysis of literature with this case showed a possible correlation between KS and psychiatric traits, with criminal personality and sexual disorders.
... En general, los estudios coinciden en considerar factores de riesgo para delinquir en sujetos con DI: la juventud, el sexo masculino, el haber experimentado situaciones de desventaja psicosocial, tener un familiar infractor, antecedentes de problemas de conducta, el desempleo y la comorbilidad con otros trastornos mentales 7,26,27,30,40,42,44,65 . Por otra parte, también han sido señalados como factores de riesgo las altas tasas de abandono escolar, la conducta sexual inapropiada, la existencia de relaciones empobrecidas y una baja integración social 5,29,66 o la institucionalización temprana, tener padres divorciados con retraso o de baja condición socioeconómica y tener algún trastorno de conducta 18 . ...
Resumen
La discapacidad intelectiva resulta del máximo interés en el ámbito forense. La presente revisión comprende la búsqueda electrónica de artículos en inglés o castellano registrados en la base de datos Medline con los términos FORENS* e INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY en el «Título» o «Resumen», hasta el 1 de enero de 2018, seleccionándose aquellos que abordaban cuestiones relativas a los antecedentes históricos y consideración jurídica, la criminalidad y tipología delictiva, la comorbilidad en sujetos que delinquen, los factores de riesgo y reincidencia y la evaluación forense, excluyendo los artículos sobre tratamiento o resultados del mismo.
Se identificaron 80 artículos que cumplían criterios de inclusión, que subrayaban la consideración especial históricamente dispensada por la justicia a los sujetos afectos de discapacidad intelectiva, las elevadas tasas descritas en prisión, discuten su relación con la violencia, incluida la sexual, describen tasas elevadas de comorbilidad con otros trastornos psiquiátricos, con discrepancias respecto a los trastornos relacionados con tóxicos y, por último, repasan los factores de riesgo y la reincidencia en estos sujetos, así como los métodos de evaluación forense de la discapacidad. Asimismo, se explicitan las limitaciones de la bibliografía revisada especialmente en relación con los conceptos que definen la discapacidad intelectiva en investigación.
... The finding from the current study is consistent with research on substances abuse among incarcerated homicide offenders [12,13,45]. A sizeable percentage of death-row inmates selfreported histories of substance abuse and/or dependence at the time of their capital offenses [46]. ...
Introduction The link between alcohol/drugs and violent criminal behavior is well documented, with alcohol/drug abusing behaviors connecting to crime in many ways. Crime is not only related to the possession or sell of illegal drugs, but also to drug related behavioral effects such as violence [1]. Alcohol/drug abuse has been implicated with offences directly related to drug abuse [2], or to life style that predisposes the drug abuser to engage in illegal activities [3]. Individuals who abuse alcohol/drugs are more likely to commit crimes including violent crimes, which are committed by such individuals who had abused alcohol/drugs either prior to offence or at the time of committing such offence [1]. The pharmacological properties of alcohol/drugs can be of effect to an individual particularly when taken at a high dose. It might inhibit and lead to impulsivity, aggression, abusiveness, argumentativeness, agitation and grandiosity in the abuser, which ultimately results in the impairment of judgment and violent crimes. Substance use, abuse and dependence are more common in the criminal justice population than the general population [4-5]. A study conducted at a maximum security prison in Nigeria among awaiting trial and convicted inmates, showed that 60% of the inmates had used alcohol and illegal drugs before their current offense, 37.3% were charged with an offence of armed Abstract Background: Violent criminal behavior has been linked to multiple factors among which are the abuses of alcohol/drugs, resulting in various prison terms. The relationship between violent criminal behavior and abuse of alcohol/drugs continue to be an area of debate with the two being related through shared risk-factors. The study aimed at exploring whether substance abuse in violent offenders occur frequently with criminal behavior and any specific demographic factors and/or forensic profile using secondary data.
O presente artigo tem como objetivo fazer uma revisão bibliográfica sobre os conceitos de responsabilidade penal e capacidade civil, aplicando-os aos transtornos psicóticos e às leis relativas aos códigos penal e civil. Estes temas são de extrema importância na prática forense.
O presente artigo tem como objetivo fazer uma revisão bibliográfica sobre os conceitos de responsabilidade penal , aplicando-os aos transtornos psicóticos e às leis relativas ao código penal brasileiro. A avaliação da responsabilidade penal é de extrema importância, para que se possa aplicar, em cada caso, medidas de segurança e sanções penais e correcionais adequadas.
This article aims to review the literature concepts of criminal liability by applying
them to the psychotic disorders and the laws relating to the Brazilian penal
code. The evaluation of penal imputability is extremely important in order to
apply, in each case, safety measures and correctional and penal sanctions.
Après s'être intéressé aux données de la littérature concernant le meurtre demasse, l'auteur analyse rétrospectivement un échantillon de quatorze criminelsadmis en Unités pour Malades Difficiles : tous ont en commun uneirresponsabilisation pénale motivée par une psychose et la commissiond'homicides multiples. Ce faisant, une définition du meurtre de masse dupsychotique est proposée, à laquelle fait suite l'exposé détaillé de troisobservations psychiatriques spécifiques. Les réflexions qui en découlentorientent vers une dynamique de dangerosité particulière, faisant retenir lesfacteurs anamnestiques d'une « trajectoire psychopathologique » dupsychotique meurtrier de masse. L'impasse symbolique dans laquelle setrouve le futur criminel évoque le parricide, dont on retrouve des éléments dansla mise en scéne d'un attentat contre l'ordre de la filiation. La prégnance duvécu dépressif renvoie par ailleurs à la démarche suicidaire du passage àl'acte ; une partie des meurtres représentant alors un substitut insuffisant pouraller jusqu'au bout de la pulsion autodestructrice.
p> Background. The increase in crime is a problem of great concern in South Africa and complications arise when the accused is mentally ill.
Objective. Analysis of the offenders referred to the Free State Psychiatric Complex from 1995 to 2001 according to section 77 (triability) and/or section 78 (accountability) of the Criminal Procedures Act (Act 51 of 1977).
Method. The study population consisted of 514 persons awaiting trial in the Free State. They were referred to the Free State Psychiatric Complex for 30 days’ observation from 1995 to 2001. A data form was created and used to transfer the relevant information from the accused’s clinical files.
Data analysis. The data collected were analysed by the Department of Biostatistics at the University of the Free State.
Results. The majority of the offenders were male (94.6%) and unmarried (66.3%). The median age of the group was 30 years. The unemployment rate was 60%. Most of the referrals (84.2%) were in terms of sections 77 and 78. The accused were found to have mainly average intelligence (75.3%). The main offences were theft (27.8%), murder (18.9%), assault (18.1%) and rape (16.2%). The most common mental disorder diagnosed was schizophrenia (23.0%), with 54.3% having no mental disorder. Nearly half the offenders (48.6%) were found to be triable and accountable.
Conclusion. The majority of the offenders referred for psychiatric observation were found to have no mental illness and were referred back to the courts. This results in high costs for the Department of Health. To reduce the high rate of unnecessary referrals it is recommended that courts give clear reasons for the referrals according to each section (77 and 78).</p
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